ADD isn't a disability, I have major ADD and the thought that I couldn't ride because of it has *never* crossed my mind

It's very easy to get an ADD diagnosis and start using it as an excuse not to be able to do things, I've known people who use it as a crutch like that and it bothers me. Knowing you have ADD means you have a huge range of treatment options (medication and otherwise) available that can make it possible for you to do things your attention span would previously not let you do.

my daughter has ADD and has never had a problem with paying attention in lessons. She does need help remembering her helmet when we leave.

my older son has ADD and hyper activity and rode for a few years.

I think keeping lessons short and private helped them both.

of course i think they got it from me, and i've been riding my whole life. i think once things became almost like a habit it was easier. on the plus side, you always learn something new with horses, so its a win for ADD .. you'll never get bored!

We all forget stuff when we go to a show. Make a list of what you need from head to toe. btw, invest in a pair of coveralls so keep your outfit clean. Then make a list of everything the horse needs. Do it weeks before the show as you will wind up adding a thing or three to the lists. Make a list of the classes and which order they are in, in a big envelope and make note of the cost of the entry fees. Two days before the show, put together everything the horse needs, from saddle to hoof pick. Take a spare bridle if you have one or can borrow, in case and a spare halter and lead. That's the only way I could get thro a show with nothing forgotten.

Saddlebag, I'm hesitant to get into the show ring for that reason. Between getting the horse there, all the equipment and details, I'm sure I will forget something if not many things!

People forgetting things is nothing new, unusual or unique to those with ADD.
Flew to Japan and forgot my technical manual (of course I could have it mailed to me with a 3 day wait)
Once I rode out to go camping. Went about 25 miles and stopped for the night only to find out that I'd forgotten my meals. I had a boiled egg and about 6 pecans left from the lunch I'd brought to eat while riding. Spent a hungry night, ended my camping trip the next day and had nothing to eat the next day until I reached home late that afternoon.
Forgetting this is very common and most people do it at some time. An the plus side you don't tend to forget the same things twice

They're always going to be bigger and stronger so you better always be smarter. (One of my grandfather's many pearls of wisdom)

Rubbish. You could trip and break your neck going down stairs while you're not paying attention, did he tell you to only use the ramps and elevators from here out too? Riding is good exercise for both the mind and body, and just like everyone else on a horse, there will be things you find difficult that come easily to others while you take naturally to something they struggle with because of the differences in how your minds and bodies work. If riding is something that is valuable to you, keep doing it.

I myself have ADD, and so does my friend. We lose attention and get bored super fast, but the upside of ADD is you hyper focus on your interests. When I'm doing stuff with horses, I pay attention only to my horse and I, nothing else. The other day my friend and I were watching a lesson... I thought she'd be saying she was bored 5mins in to it... But 1hr later she was still there watching intently. So no, if you have a point of interest, don't give it up, just find a way that's easier for you to learn. For me it's easiest to have a one on one lesson with nobody else in the arena riding, helps me to keep focused.

I also do silly little things too, but it doesn't stop me. Left my $200 sunglasses in the tack room for a month. Gone to put milk back in the fridge while carrying my phone and keys, walked back to the kitchen an hour later to find the milk on the counter and my phone & keys in the fridge. Gone to the barn in my everyday running shoes when I meant to put boots on. A few weeks ago I left my keys in the door lock (on the outside of the door) overnight.
I also tend to misplace my keys, phone, sunglasses, bracelet, necklace, camera, USB, and just about anything and everything important every single day.
None of this stops me from doing what I love... Or pretty much anything I want to do though haha ;)

I have a mild form of ADD (also take things for it during the school year) and I have always used it as a strong point rather than a weak point. It is what you make of it.

To be honest if doctors had their way we would ALL be in wheelchairs. You always can't let one opinion from someone determine your life, and what you do with it. If you can ride and you can stay stable while your doing it, then great! If you do find that it can be a little challenging then you can find something to help you, absolutely no shame in that.

As what others have said, many doctors don't know what riding is (as with most of the world). They don't realize the dangers already involved with it either way.

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the The Horse Forum forums, you must first register.

Already have a Horse Forum account?
Members are allowed only one account per person at the Horse Forum, so if you've made an account here in the past you'll need to continue using that account. Please do not create a new account or you may lose access to the Horse Forum. If you need help recovering your existing account, please Contact Us. We'll be glad to help!

New to the Horse Forum?Please choose a username you will be satisfied with using for the duration of your membership at the Horse Forum. We do not change members' usernames upon request because that would make it difficult for everyone to keep track of who is who on the forum. For that reason, please do not incorporate your horse's name into your username so that you are not stuck with a username related to a horse you may no longer have some day, or use any other username you may no longer identify with or care for in the future.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

OR

Log-in

User Name

Password

Remember Me?

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Old Thread Warning

This thread is more than 90 days old. When a thread is this old, it is often better to start a new thread rather than post to it. However, If you feel you have something of value to add to this particular thread, you can do so by checking the box below before submitting your post.I am aware that this is an old thread and I want to revive it rather than starting a new thread.